Burning Bridges
by Mustache Cat
Summary: When Blu runs into an old friend and tragedy strikes in his life, things get weird in the tribe of Blue Macaws. Takes place one year after the events of Rio, in an alternate timeline where Blu and Jewel had no kids. Please leave your lovely reviews! I love feedback about what you like about the story or what you may think will happen! :D
1. Chapter 1 -- An Old Friend

. . . .

It's a cool morning in the Amazon, as always. Blu slowly opens his eyes to find Jewel still sound asleep, her head resting on his chest with a light smile on her face.

"Jewel.." He whispers.

She chuckles , "Good morning, Blu." She says in a soft, sweet voice. "Wait," She says, looking around. "It's not even daylight, why'd you get me up so early?"

Blu shrugs, "Uh, I-I figured we could watch the sunrise together..."

"Aw, Blu." She says with a bright smile, "That would be amazing. How long until the sunrise starts?"

He looks up at the sky, "Well, giving the current declination and right ascension of the constellation Orion in relation to the horizon..." He quickly does some calculations before saying, "About forty five minutes."

Jewel laughs, "Nerd." At that moment, a dim light starts to appear on the eastern horizon. Blu sighs and shakes his head.

"Or I could be wrong." He says.

Jewel chuckles, "Where'd you get that forty five minutes from?"

Blu shakes his head, "I have no idea. These southern stars are harder to read than the ones in Minnesota." They sit in silence for a few moments before Blu remembers something, "Oh, I nearly forgot! Follow me!" He says as he takes off, heading east.

Jewel quickly chases after him, "Where are you going?! Wait up!"

. . . .

Jewel finds Blu sitting on a branch waiting for her with a very excited look on his face. "What was that about?" Jewel asks, "You can't just get up and run off like that."

"Uh, I- sorry, I just.. had something to show you." He gestures to a well built nest-like structure in a large knot hole in a nearby tree. Inside is a small pile of Brazil nuts stacked in a neat pyramid formation. "I put this together last night when you were out with your dad."

Jewel's face lights up with joy and amazement, "You did all of this.. for me?"

Blu nods, "Of course.

Jewel seems confused, "But, why?"

"It's our anniversary!" Blu says happily.

"It is? Already?"

"Yeah! Can you believe it's been a year?!"

"I wish you had reminded me!" Jewel hangs her head, "Now I feel bad for not getting you anything."

Blu shakes his head, "I don't need anything, I don't want anything." He says humbly. "You're everything I could ever need. A-And I know that sounds really sappy and cliché, but it's true."

Jewel smiles and kisses Blu, "You're the best." She says softly as she nuzzles up under his chin.

. . . .

 _ **.: Three Days Later:.**_

Jewel approaches Blu while he's preening his feathers in their new nest. As always, he's trying to be very careful about how he does so. He's finishing up just as Jewel gets there; ruffling his feathers as she lands next to him.

"Blu, there's someone here who wants to see you." She says.

Blu looks confused, then nods. He steps out of the roost to be greeted by a very intimidating spectacle. In front of him is a jet black falcon with deep blue eyes. The falcon was slightly taller than Blu, and wore a bronze band around his left leg; but despite the bird's striking size and color, the thing that stood out to Blu the most was the fact that the entire upper portion of the falcon's beak seemed to be made of a dull silver metal. Blu's eyes widen as he finally recognizes the face. "Kestrel...?"

Jewel seems surprised, "Blu, you know this guy?"

Blu nods his head, "He's one of my friends from Minnesota." He says, before turning his

attention back to Kestrel. "Wha- How'd you get here? Thats an eight thousand mile flight! And, i-if you don't mind me asking, what happened to your face?"

Kestrel nods, "Ventured down here a few years ago. A long journey that I decided to spread out over several weeks." he says in a deep, resonant voice. "And as for… this," He points to his beak, "Half destroyed in a scrap with a condor about a year ago. Couple of humans found me a few days later and fixed me up with this piece of titanium to call a beak."

Blu nods, "Aha. Well, it's great to see that you're recovering quite nicely."

Kestrel looks at Jewel, "Ohh, who's this?"

Blu nods, "That's my wife, Jewel. Jewel, this is Kestrel. He was my best friend before I left Minnesota."

Jewel gives a smile, "It's nice to meet you." She says very poiltely.

Suddenly, a loud crash is heard, followed by what sounded like screaming birds Jewel looks out to see a burning airplane in a clearing about a hundred yards away. "There's birds in there, we need to help them! C'mon!"

The cargo bay of the plane opens just as the three of them get there. There must be hundreds of birds here; all in cages and boxes.

"These smugglers are getting out of control." Kestrel says before diving in and using his beak to break locks and pry bars apart to free whatever birds he can. "Go! Get out while you can!" he shouts to Blu and Jewel, "Go!" He breaks one last lock and opens the cage before realizing he's nearly out of time. The flames would soon be blocking the exit; he bolts out of the plane, leaving over half the birds still imprisoned there.

Jewel looks back, "There's still some in there!" she shouts at Kestrel.

"There's no time left!" he says.

"But you can't just let them die!"

"Sometimes, you have to make sacrifices!"

Jewel shakes her head and darts toward the plane, which was almost completely enveloped in flames.

Kestrel chases after her, followed by Blu, "Jewel stop!" Kestrel shouts as Jewel flies into the plane just before the flames roar up and block the exit. "Jewel, there's no way you can-"

The plane explodes as the inferno hits the fuel lines. The explosion sounds for miles and knocks Blu and Kestrel out of the air. Blu hits the ground hard and is knocked out cold, while Kestrel lands flat on his back. As soon as he regains his orientation, a flying piece of shrapnel pierces his left wing and pins it to the ground. He lets out a pained screech, but quickly gets over the pain as he realizes Jewel was in that explosion. Nothing could've survived that. He does nothing but sit there in silence, speechless for about half an hour before Blu finally comes to.

"Kestrel!" Blu exclaims. He quickly makes his way to the falcon and helps with Kestrel's wing. "What happened, where's Jewel?!" Blu is quick to ask.

Kestrel hangs his head. "She… she didn't make it."

. . . .

A/N

Okay so I know killing a central character is a hell of a way to start a story. But hey, if Game of Thrones can do it, I can do it.


	2. Chapter 2 -- An Inevitable Quarrel

. . . .

Blu shakes his head, "No… No, you're wrong! She's still out there, I know it! She-"

Kestrel quickly interrupts him, putting his good wing on Blu's shoulder, "Blu, look at me. She's gone. Nothing could've survived that blast. Hell, we were fifty feet away and we barely survived… I'm sorry."

Blu nods somberly before collapsing at Kestrel's feet, sobbing. "I could've saved her… I could-"

"Don't do this to yourself, Blu." Kestrel says, "It's not your fault."

Blu looks up at Kestrel and nods, "How do you think the tribe will handle this?" He says through his tears.

Kestrel shakes his head, "They won't."

. . . .

A few minutes later, Roberto comes to investigate the crash site. He starts by circling over it like a hawk, before swooping down to get a better view of the surrounding area. The second he sees Kestrel, he panics. "Intruder!" He shouts, dive bombing the already injured raptor. Kestrel quickly jumps to the side to avoid the attack. Roberto flares his wings and slows down, but the landing is still hard.

"Hey, I'm friendly-" Kestrel tries to explain, but Roberto ignores him and lunges for the falcon's bad wing. Kestrel's reflexes kick in and he quickly reverses Roberto's attack, slamming the macaw on the ground with only his right wing. Kestrel puts a foot on Roberto's chest to hold him down, "I bet your punk ass is fun at parties, huh?" Kestrel with a smirk. "Anyway, if you'd stop trying to kill me for a second and hear me out, I'm with Blu." He takes his foot off Roberto cautiously, "He's my best friend."

Roberto gets up and brushes himself off, "You two are an odd pair."

Blu nods, still sniffling a little. "We get that a lot."

"Blu, what's wrong?" Roberto asks.

Blu shakes his head, trying not to make eye contact. "Nothing, I just… I have something in my eye."

Roberto nods, "Alright." He looks over to Kestrel, examining his wing. "You gonna be okay?"

Kestrel nods, "Yeah, I'll be fine." He says as he cringes in pain.

"You sure? Your wing has a hole clear through it. You won't be flying for months."

Kestrel shakes his head and shrugs, "I'll figure something out."

Roberto nods, "Anyway, have you seen Jewel? I've looked everywhere but I can't find her, where is she?"

Blu tries to hold back his tears as he shakes his head. "Haven't seen her. She left this morning; didn't tell me where she was going." By this time, Blu has his back turned to Roberto and he sobs silently.

Roberto puts his wing on Blu's shoulder, "You sure you're okay?"

Blu nods and shakes Roberto off, "Yeah, I'm just… I'm worried."

"There's no need to worry. We're gonna find her, okay?"

Blu nods, "Right."

. . . .

That night, Blu sits alone in his nest, staring at the wall in silence. Roberto lands silently at the entrance a few minutes later, speaking softly and humbly. "Blu… Can I come in?" He says with a somber tone. Blu doesn't reply; he doesn't even move or acknowledge Roberto's presence.

Roberto steps in surreptitiously and approaches Blu, who still hasn't even blinked. "Blu, I-" he hesitates for a long time, lost for words. "She's…"

"I know." Blu suddenly says, still staring forward.

Roberto looks confused, "How did you know?"

"I watched it happen." Blu says, looking down and turning away. "I didn't want to tell you." He says, starting to choke up, "I didn't think you'd be able to handle it." There is a long moment of silence before Blu turns back around to face Roberto. "Does Eduardo know?"

Roberto shakes his head, "No one does. Just me and you and your friend."

Blu nods, "Kestrel. Where is he by the way?"

"He's in one of the ground level nests outside the boundaries, resting his wing. I can take you there."

Blu nods silently and Roberto escorts him to Kestrel's ground nest. Kestrel is sleeping when they arrive but he is quickly alerted by the sound of wingbeats. Kestrel looks Roberto straight in the eye and says in a threatening tone, "We're not done. We've still got a quarrel, and when this wing heals up, I'm gonna show you how we settle it where I come from."

Roberto shrugs it off and leaves Blu and Kestrel alone.

Kestrel turns to Blu, "Does the leader know I'm here?"

Blu shakes his head, "I assume not. You're technically outside the Tribe boundaries, so no one should think much of you. Except that it's odd to see a bird of prey nesting on the ground."

Kestrel nods, "Alright…"

"Would you be cool with me staying here tonight? Just so someone can keep me company?" Blu asks.

Kestrel nods, "Of course. Blu, we've been best friends for seven years. Who would I be to start saying no today? Especially now?"

Blu smiles gingerly, "Thanks, Kes."

. . . .

A/N

Here we get to see a side of Roberto that we don't normally get the chance to see. We also get to see the slightly more violent side of Kestrel. How will all of this go down with Eduardo and the rest of the tribe? Can they handle it?


	3. Chapter 3 -- A Light in The Hallway

A/N - The song used in this chapter is _Light In The Hallway_ by _Pentatonix_ , so I recommend you go find it on youtube when the time comes. It's so good and fits the story so perfectly, I got chills writing this.

. . . .

It's a warm, beautiful morning and the sunrise fills the air with a crisp orange glow. Blu opens his eyes to find Jewel singing softly to him. He can't see her face in the dim morning light, but he doesn't need to. He's happy she's here with him. She sang in what Blu could only guess was Latin, floating up and down on the notes of a very bright and happy melody... But as the melody goes on, it slowly gets lower and darker. She sings it almost as a chant, and the words having a more melancholy sound to them as well. She stops singing but Blu can still hear it, ringing in the back of his head. For the first time, he can see her face; her horribly disfigured face and body, mangled in the explosion. She glares at him, staring into his soul, unblinking.

"Why didn't you save me, Blu?"

. . . .

Blu wakes up with a jolt, breathing heavily; his entire body shaking profusely. He looks around. All is peaceful. As his breathing slows and he regathers his thoughts, he settles back down into the nest with a sigh.

"Can't sleep?" Kestrel says, opening only one eye.

Blu sighs, "Not a chance."

Kestrel motions for Blu to come over by him. "Come here." Blu obliges. When he gets close enough, Kestrel wraps his good wing around Blu, pulling him closer. With his feathers spread out, it only takes one of the falcon's large wings to cover Blu's whole body.

Blu feels oddly safe in this shroud of his friend's wing. He's never felt this invincible.

Blu's voice shakes as he says quietly, "Can you sing to me?"

Kestrel simply nods, acting as though it's not a strange request. He takes a few seconds to remember the lyrics and starts to sing. His is voice is deep and smooth, reminiscent of the way he speaks.

 _Close your eyes, lay your head down_

 _Now it's time to sleep_

 _May you find great adventure_

 _As you lie and dream_

 _If you're scared of the darkness_

 _I will calm your fear_

 _There's a light in the hallway_

 _So you know I'm here_

Blu smiles as he rests his head against Kestrel's chest. There's something strangely calming about this moment. Perhaps it's letting Kestrel's steady heartbeat serve as a reminder that even though there's so much sadness in his life, he has his best friend by his side to help him through it. Or maybe it's not that complicated; maybe it's simply hearing Kestrel's voice resonate in his chest, or feeling the vibrations as he effortlessly floats down to the lower notes. That can be a very calming feeling sometimes.

 _So count your blessings every day_

 _It makes the monsters go away_

 _And everything will be okay_

 _You are not alone_

 _You are right at home_

 _Goodnight, goodnight_

 _You won't need me forever_

 _But I'll still be here_

 _For we all have our nightmares_

 _Even me, my dear_

 _From now on, if you need me_

 _You can sing this song_

 _There's a light in the hallway_

 _Burning all night long_

 _So count your blessings every day_

 _It makes the monsters go away_

 _And everything will be okay_

 _You are not alone_

 _You are right at home_

 _Goodnight, goodnight_

Kestrel peeks under his wing to find Blu sound asleep on his chest. He smiles softly and closes his eyes, drifting off just as easily as his best friend did.

. . . .

A/N - Okay wow, I'm legit starting to ship them but I don't want to because that's not how I planned this story. Anyway, I hope this story is as enjoyable to read as it is to write because wow! This story is SO much fun to write!


	4. Chapter 4 -- An Odd Pair

. . . .

The next morning is dark and dreary. A light fog settles on the ground as Blu opens his eyes to find himself still tucked under Kestrel's wing. Kestrel is already awake, but hasn't moved out of respect for Blu. He feels Blu stir and slowly lifts his wing and he sighs, "Blu, do you remember the day we met?"

Blu looks skeptical, "That was seven years ago, Kes."

Kestrel nods, "I know… But.. do you remember?"

Blu sighs, "Clear as day."

"Tell me about it."

 _ **.: Seven Years Prior:.**_

It is a bitterly cold winter night in Moose Lake, Minnesota. Inside Linda's street corner bookshop, young Blu stirs and awakens to the sudden sound of fluttering wings outside his cage in the middle of the night. He very cautiously and quietly unlocks the door on his cage and silently steps out. As he creeps across the ground, he hears what sounds like a voice coming from the other side of one of the bookshelves. He sees the telltale light of flames dancing on the walls from the fireplace and realizes Linda forgot to put it out before going to bed. He rounds the corner a few seconds later to see a young falcon sitting by the fireplace, shivering and covered in snow. The falcon was speaking quietly, to seemingly no one. Blu, couldn't make out the words, but the young raptor sounded afraid, sad, and angry at the same time. Blu approaches the bird with great caution, trying not to alarm the stranger.

The falcon is startled anyway and looks at Blu with fear in his eyes, "I- I'm sorry, I didn't know anyone else was here, I can leave if you wa-"

Blu quickly interrupts, "Who were you just talking to?"

The young falcon stutters, terrified. "The voices."

Blu simply dismisses the bird as insane and continues the interrogation. "Why are you here?"

"I… I was just looking for someplace warm to stay for the night. I didn't know anyone was here and I-"

"How'd you get in?" Blu interrupts again.

"There was a window that was open just a crack and I managed to squeeze through."

Blu nods, starting to feel sorry for this stranger. "Don't you have a home?" Now that the snow had started to melt away, Blu could see the birds odd colored plumage. He'd never seen any predatory birds with dark black feathers before.

The stranger simply shakes his head, "I drift from dwelling to dwelling everyday. I have to steal what I eat or nearly die in the cold trying to hunt, and-"

"We've got food here." Blu is quick to say. "You can have some of my food."

The falcon looks confused, "Wh-What? Why?"

"We've got enough to feed two birds for the winter; you don't need to steal anymore."

"I… I don't know what to say." He stutters for a moment, "Thank you so much!"

Blu smiles and nods humbly, "My name is Blu."

"Kestrel."

Blu smiles, "Well Kestrel, know what? How about you do winters here every year? I feel like we can get along."

Kestrel nods excitedly, "Blu, you're the best."

 _ **.: Present:.**_

Blu finishes telling his story, "And that's how I remember it."

Kestrel nods, "Over those years, you've done nothing but give, give, give. You started by taking me in. Sharing your home and food with a complete stranger. Then, you taught me how to be social, and how to fit in, how to love myself, how to read. Among other things. What have I ever done for you in return? Nothing. I never taught you anything, or did you any favors, nothing."

Blu nods, "I understand this."

"And I got to thinking last night that it's about time I start paying you back."

Blu shakes his head, "Kes, you don't owe me anything. I did what I did out of love for a friend. It wasn't any kind of quid pro quo, and you don't need to pay me back in the least."

Kestrel smiles his signature smile, "Blu, you're the best."

. . . .

A/N

So I was going to go straight to Kestrel meeting Eduardo, but I thought I might as well throw some backstory in for Kestrel. Next chapter is when you'll see Kestrel meet the leader and explain what happened to Jewel. How do you think he'll react? Also, I'm really starting to ship Kes and Blu (which is odd I did not expect that), but I'm not sure if I should make it so or not. What do you think?


	5. Chapter 5 -- I'll Run To You

A/N The song used in this chapter is _Run To You_ by _Pentatonix_. The way the song goes with the story is absolutely chilling, so I recommend you go listen to it on youtube when the time comes.

. . . .

Later that day, Kestrel labors up a tree trunk using his beak and talons to find Blu sitting on a branch, looking out over the smoldering crash site. Kestrel walks out onto the branch and sits quietly next to Blu.

"Blu, I know what you're feeling… But sitting and staring at this wreckage for hours on end will only make things worse."

Blu doesn't acknowledge Kestrel's presence, only stares forward and says with a sneer, "How could you _possibly_ know what I'm feeling."

Kestrel dismisses Blu's question, "It's for the best."

Blu shakes his head, "Who are you to judge what's best for me?"

"I'm your best friend. And around here, it seems like I'm your only friend. I'm trying to help you through this but you have to work with me. Help me help you."

Blu looks confused, "What do you mean?"

Kestrel takes a minute to think of an answer, "You need to start burning your bridges."

"What does that mean?"

"It's a metaphor," Kestrel explains, "It means you need to sever your connections to Jewel. Leave her behind you."

Blu hangs his head, "I don't want to leave her behind me…" He says quietly, "I don't want to forget about her."

"Now Blu, there's a difference between leaving someone behind you and forgetting about them."

Blu nods solemnly, "I understand…"

. . . .

The entire tribe is gathered in a central meeting place to discuss Jewel's whereabouts. "No one is going anywhere until we find my daughter!" Eduardo barks. No one has seen Jewel since the previous morning and she has just been declared missing. "I want a search party organized asap, and I want the entire tribe to do a cleansweep of their designated area! I will not lose her again!"

Roberto lands swiftly next to Eduardo, "There's someone here to see you."

"I'm not taking visitors, I'm in the middle of a crisis!"

"They know what happened to Jewel." Roberto says.

"Why don't you start with that next time." Eduardo says, "Who are they?"

Blu steps forward with Kestrel at his side. Eduardo looks slightly threatened by Kestrel, "Who are you?" he says.

"My name is Kestrel, and-"

"Where's my daughter?" Eduardo interrupts.

Kestrel hangs his head for a long while before quietly saying, "Gone."

Eduardo is shocked. He looks to Roberto for confirmation and Roberto gives a simple nod. "I-" The old macaw starts, "I'm… Are you sure?"

Roberto nods, starting to choke up. "I found her body yesterday. I didn't want to tell you right away because I wasn't sure you'd be able to handle it."

Eduardo stands speechless for a moment before quickly turning to Kestrel. "You… You did this." He slams Kestrel on the ground furiously. "Of course it would be the cannibal's fault!"

Kestrel is taken aback. "Cannibal?" He shakes his head, "Sir, I've never killed or eaten another bird in my life."

Eduardo holds Kestrel down with his talons around the falcon's neck. "Why should I believe you?"

"With Blu as my witness, Sir," Says Kestrel calmly and respectfully, "I tried to save her, but there just wasn't enough time. I'm sorry."

Eduardo looks to Blu, "Is this true?"

Blu nods, "It is."

Eduardo huffs and lets Kestrel up, "Very well. I reserve judgement for now. But in time, we'll see who you really are. If you make any moves against this Tribe, I will have you torn limb from limb. Understand?"

Kestrel nods humbly, "Yes sir."

. . . .

Blu sits quietly in a newly constructed nest, high above the treetops and away from the rest of the Tribe. He hopes Kestrel doesn't possess the will to scale this tree because right now, he just wants to be alone with his thoughts. He sees the smoke from the plane in the distance and sighs, sinking down into the nest.

 _A light in the room._

 _It was you who was standing there._

 _Tried it was true_

 _As your glance met my stare_

Blu sings quietly to himself. He remembers Kestrel teaching him this song a few months after they met. He remembers the first time he heard Kestrel sing the first few notes of this sad little melody. The falcon's deep voice always made Blu smile before this; but not now. This song took on a whole new meaning with Jewel gone.

 _But your heart drifted off_

 _Like the land split by sea_

 _I tried to go, to follow_

 _To kneel down at your feet_

 _I'll run, I'll run, I'll run, run to you_

 _I'll run, I'll run, I'll run, run to you_

 _I've been settling scores_

 _I've been fighting so long_

 _But I've lost your war_

 _And our kingdom is gone_

 _How shall I win back_

 _Your heart which was mine_

 _I have broken bones and tattered clothes_

 _I've run out of time_

 _I'll run, I'll run, I'll run, run to you_

 _I'll run, I'll run, I'll run, run to you_

 _Whoa, oh, oh_

 _I will break down the gates of heaven_

 _A thousand angels stand waiting for me,_

 _Oh, take my heart and I'll lay down my weapons_

 _Break my shackles to set me free_

 _I'll run, I'll run, I'll run, run to you_

Blu shakes his head and says under his breath, "May the bridges I burn light my way to new beginnings." He lifts from his perch to go find Kestrel.

. . . .


	6. Chapter 6 -- The Plot Thickens

. . . .

It's a cold and solemn night and Kestrel sits alone in his nest, thinking about how to gain the tribe's trust.

 _That leader of theirs is hard-headed and stubborn. It won't be easy. Is there anything that thick-skulled macaw doesn't take as a threat? I understand what it's like to lose someone close to you, but you didn't have to take your anger out on me, let alone blame me for what happened._

All these thoughts swirl around in Kestrel's head; so many questions, so few answers. So much to say, no one to say it to. This could be enough to drive anyone insane.

 _If only Blu were here right now…_ He says to himself with a sigh. _But he's not. He's as alone with his thoughts as I am with mine._ He says with slight anguish. He takes a deep breath and regains his composure. _But that's alright. That's fine. He wants to be alone; I understand. He's just-_

A bloodcurdling _screech_ interrupts his thinking and rings in his ears and within a fraction of a second, he's pinned to the ground by an unknown attacker. This bird was slightly larger than Kestrel and had feathers of a beautiful golden brown color. A hawk, Kestrel realizes. He struggles to turn his head and look up at the hawk. It's eyes, face, and beak were covered by an elegant metal mask. The hawk holds Kestrel down with its talons around his neck, and the other foot planted firmly on his chest.

"There you are. Who's a pretty birdy?" The hawk says threateningly. The voice was female, and surprisingly soft and soothing; but for the first time in years, Kestrel was afraid. "What are you doing this close to Scarlet macaw territory?" She says.

"Why do you care?" Kestrel says, mockingly.

The hawk sneers and slowly digs her talons into Kestrels chest, making him cringe in pain. "I ask the questions." She hisses. "You're in Scarlet territory. Why?"

"Ah, my presence concerns them. They're afraid of me. Good."

The masked hawk sighs, "I'm beginning to get very frustrated with your lack of cooperation…" She says. She sinks her talons deeper into Kestrel's chest and blood slowly trickles from the wound. "I want to kill you." She adds. "I very much want to kill you, but unfortunately, I'm under strict orders to leave you alive."

"Orders?" Kestrel inquires, "Who sent you?"

"I said stop asking questions!" She rakes her talons across his chest, leaving deep gashes that ooze blood. "Hm." She says, "I'll admit, your stubbornness is oddly charming. I can't decide whether I want to kill you or kiss you."

"Scarlet tribe? This is neutral ground." Kestrel says, completely ignoring what the female has to say.

The hawk's patience has come to an end. She violently bashes her beak against Kestrel's and instead of the bone-breaking crack she was expecting, it makes a loud metallic clang, much to her surprise. What would've maimed any other bird only put Kestrel in a slight daze. He takes advantage of the female's confusion and quickly kicks her off of him, pinning her down, his talons tightly grasping her by the wings. He rips the metal mask off to reveal the beautiful face underneath. She looked about his age, if not a little younger. Her facial features are sharp and angular, her beak is black as night, and her eyes are glazed a strangely beautiful silver from cataracts.

 _Cataracts_ , Kestrel realizes. She's blind… _That's why she had the mask over her eyes._

"What is your name?" Kestrel asks.

She struggles under his weight, trying to escape him before eventually giving up and shrugging. "I've gone by many names. Gemini, Phoenix, Banshee, Icarus, the list goes on."

Kestrel nods, "Phoenix… That fits… Now, Phoenix. Who really sent you? Don't give me the Scarlet tribe story. This is neutral territory, and the Scarlet macaws have no quarrel with me, if they even know I'm here."

"Uh, I- I mean..You.." Phoenix stutters for a moment before giving up on lying. "Eduardo sent me to drive you away. There, I told you what you wanted to know. Now you'll let me go, right?"

Kestrel shakes his head and only tightens his grip on Phoenix, "No. Keep talking."

Phoenix laughs, "Or what? You wouldn't hit a girl."

Kestrel laughs right along with her before smacking her across the face with his wing. "I would if they were nothing but a threat. Now keep talking."

Phoenix stutters in shock and slight fear, "Uhh, he.. he said that he wanted you gone, because he was afraid you would massacre his tribe in the middle of the night and- and… I didn't want to do it, but the job seemed easy and the reward was hot, so I had no choice… I just…"

"Reward? What was the reward?" Kestrel immediately asks.

"Why do you care?"

"I want to know how much he wants me gone."

"Eduardo said that if I did this, he would grant me the rights to hunt inside tribe boundaries. And…"

Kestrel cuts her off once more, "I see. You also said you didn't want to do it originally. Why not?"

"Uhh, heh. Well, before getting the contract, I'd seen; well.. heard you out and about.. And you seem pretty cool, ya know? And honestly… I find you very attractive, so I'm sorry about-"

"You're getting off topic." Kestrel says, "What else did Eduardo say to you?"

"He said that if I failed, he'd find someone else, so I'd watch my back if I were you. That's it, that's all I know. Now will you let me go?"

Kestrel thinks for a moment, "Only if you promise that I will never see you again."

Phoenix's eyes grow somber and sad. That was what she had hoped he wouldn't say. This falcon that she's had a growing crush on for six straight months suddenly doesn't ever want to see her again. And it was all because of that contract. She wants so badly to blame Eduardo for this, but she knows deep down that it's all her own fault. Her last few moments with this wondrous raptor are coming to an end. Might as well make the best of it, right?

Kestrel is taken completely by surprise as Phoenix kisses him right on the beak. He quickly pulls away and sits speechless for a long while before Phoenix finally says with a smirk, "Does that change your mind?"

Kestrel sighs and shakes his head, then let's Phoenix up. "Get outta here."

She nods silently as she picks up her mask and puts it on her face to hide the sadness in her silver eyes as she flies away.

. . . .

A/N

I know this chapter took a while, and I apologize. My computer crashed and I had to retype the entire thing. In this chapter, I tried putting characters' personal thoughts in italics, a first for me. Tell me what you would like to see in the next chapter. How is Blu doing? How is Phoenix dealing with what just happened? How will Kestrel confront Eduardo? Also, the next chapter should contain a song if I keep on my current path of one song every other chapter.


	7. Chapter 7 -- Unfinished Business

A/N The beginning of the song used in this chapter is _Goodbye, Little Dream, Goodbye_ from the musical, _Anything Goes_

. . . .

Dazed and bleary, Kestrel slowly opens his eyes, looking around and taking in this new setting he finds himself in. He's lying on his back on a flat metal table underneath a human tent; his wings are spread out flat. He's not restrained in any way, he's just lying there. He notices that the sharp pain in his left wing is now only a dull throb, and the gashes that Phoenix left in his chest have been bandaged. He glances to his left to see that the hole through his wing now has a lightweight, slightly translucent patch on it. The patch almost perfectly matches the color of his feathers, and seems to be made of a synthetic, feather-like material. He wants to get to his feet and attempt flying, but for the life of him, he can't seem to gather the strength.

He hears a rustling near the front of the tent. The front flap unzips and a very familiar woman enters. Her bright red hair and big, round glasses give her away immediately. "Linda?!" Kestrel screeches, "What are you doing here?! What am _I_ doing here?!" He knows she can't understand him, but he still continues asking questions. "How'd you find me? Where am I?"

"Shh, calm down," Linda says quietly and soothingly, as if she were talking to a distressed child. Kestrel quiets down and listens to what Linda has to say. "We found you about half a mile from here after a very odd looking hawk led us to you." She says, thinking back to what the bird looked like. She shakes her head dismissively, "You'd passed out from blood loss, and I knew that if I didn't do anything, you'd die. We still had to put you under to make sure you didn't wake up while we stitched up your wing. You'll need some time to recover from the anesthesia."

 _"Wow,"_ Linda realizes. _"I'm legit talking to a bird. Have I always done this, or is Tulio starting to rub off on me? Does he even understand what I'm saying?"_

"Eh, who am I kidding, Kestrel? You don't understand a word I'm saying do you?" Linda says. Kestrel understands completely, but still chooses not to acknowledge it. He shrugs subtly and lies his head back down on the table. "Try moving whatever muscles you can whenever you can." Linda advises, "It'll help you recover." He can already move his wingtips and toes, and turn his head but so far, that's it.

A few minutes later, Linda sets a bowl down next to him full of grey-green mush. The smell of it is almost worse than the color. It smells like diesel fuel mixed with rotting carrion. It's enough to make anyone sick to the stomach. "Here, eat this. It'll help you regain your strength." She says like a mother to her sick child.

"Oh _Hell_ no," Kestrel shouts at Linda sassily, "I _know_ you didn't just tell me to _eat_ that! What is that, anyway?!" The next thing he knows, Linda shoves a spoon in his mouth and his mouth is full of the stuff. The texture is mushy and gritty, like mashed potatoes mixed with sand, and the taste is pungent and slightly acidic; reminiscent of bile.

 _"I can't believe it,"_ Kestrel has the generosity to keep his thoughts to himself, _"This woman that I have come to know and love has betrayed me. I never thought Linda would ever be the one to force feed a bird. She actually had the nerve to do this."_

Despite the burning anger that builds in his soul, he cooperates, struggling to get the 'organic' food down his throat. He lies there, his throat burning and raspy for the next half hour before he tries flexing his wings. His muscles feel shaky and slow at first, but after a few seconds, he's back up to full strength. Kestrel slowly gets to his feet and spreads his wings. He flaps his wings a few times to make sure he feels strong enough to fly before closing his eyes and taking a leap of faith off the metal table. It's only a few feet to the floor, but he dives as gracefully as if it were a few miles. He flares his wings and swoops back up at the last moment, gaining tremendous speed and shooting out of Linda's tent.

Outside, it's a bright and sunny day; not a cloud in the sky. The first thing Kestrel does is fly straight up as high as he can. As he climbs higher and higher, he can feel the air get thinner and cooler. He can see for miles around. Trees and rivers as far as the eye can see. So, this is the Amazon. It starts to get hard to breathe as he reaches about a mile above the ground. He tucks his wings and nosedives, free falling back toward earth at record speeds for any bird. Oh, how he'd missed the freedom of flying. Everyone takes advantage of it until they can't do it, after that, they treasure every second of it. The ground races toward him at incredible speed, the nostril holes in his metal beak make a high pitched whistling sound as he plunges fearlessly toward death. He's only a few feet from the ground when he spreads his wings and returns to the air. He can fly; and it feels absolutely incredible. Now, he has unfinished business to deal with.

. . . .

Phoenix sits alone in her nest. Like any hawk's nest, it is high up in a relatively solitary tree, but it is very well hidden. For the first time in her life, she's not doing anything. A forlorn mood gleams in her silver eyes as she just sits there, still and silent, thinking about how she had ruined her chance with Kestrel. She feels torn; one side of her wants to beg Kestrel for forgiveness, the other side wants to forget him completely. Habitually, she begins to sing.

 _Goodbye, little dream, goodbye…_

She sings to herself a short song she learned a few years ago.

 _You've made my romance sublime, now it's time to fly…_

 _For the Stars have fled from the heavens, and-_

Kestrel lands silently behind her and shakes his head, "Don't even start singing that one."

 _"I know that voice."_ She whispers in her head. She whips around and nearly squeals with joy, "Kestrel?! You came back!" She instantly regrets her tone, so she quickly recedes back into her sassy and arrogant persona, and picking her mask up off the floor of her nest and putting it on, "I mean… I knew you wouldn't be able to stay away from me. They never can." She tries to say as though she hates him. "Say, how'd you find me anyway?"

Kestrel half chuckles, "C'mon. A drop dead girl like you isn't that hard to track down."

Phoenix sighs, "Why are you here?"

He simply nods, "Straight to the point." He steps forward, "I came to apologize; I was wrong about you."

"What are you talking about?"

"You know what I'm talking about. You led the humans to me. You effectively saved my life. I thank you."

"Are we even now?" Phoenix asks.

Kestrel shrugs and nods, "I suppose we are."

She gives him a slight side smile and raises one eyebrow, "Friends?"

Kestrel shakes his head, "Don't push your luck."

Phoenix nods dismissively, "Alright.." She says sassily. "Neutrally associated acquaintances?"

Kestrel nods, "Let's put it that way."

. . . .

A/N

This chapter took longer than I wanted it to. It's also not nearly the length I planned it to be. I planned on writing about Blu, as well as Kestrel's problem with Eduardo in this chapter, but time went fast, and I only wrote about a third of what I wanted to; in twice the normal time too! I try to write throughout the week, and then update on the weekend, but the last couple weeks have been so busy.


	8. Chapter 8 -- Accepting OC's!

. . . .

A/N

I'm kinda running short on characters, and I can't keep coming up with new ones, so for the next chapter and probably the rest of the story, I'm accepting OC's! I'm not too familiar with this community's OC's, so leave a description of in a review, along with the role you want them to have in the story, as well as how major you want that role to be. First come, first served.

. . . .


	9. Chapter 9 -- Don't Get Overconfident

. . . .

Blu nervously approaches Eduardo the next day. Eduardo is speaking quietly to Roberto with his back to Blu. "Sir, H-have you seen Kestrel?" Blu asks, "I can't find him anywhere."

Eduardo shrugs dismissively, not paying any attention to Blu, "Must've run off. He seemed intimidated when I talked to him last."

Blu shakes his head, "Kestrel is never intimidated. Maybe he only acted that way so he wouldn't threaten you." Blu retorts, "Besides, he would never just leave me out of the blue like that."

Eduardo turns to face Blu, stopping his conversation with Roberto, "You'd be surprised…"

Kestrel lands silently behind Roberto with a grim look on his face. Roberto gets an odd feeling of someone watching him and quickly turns around. "Oh. It's you. Eduardo said you left."

Kestrel chuckles, "Eduardo didn't hire a very competent mercenary."

Blu rushes forward and hugs Kestrel awkwardly, "I've been looking everywhere for you! I knew you didn't leave!" He's quick to notice the bandages on Kestrel's chest, "You're hurt.."

Kestrel shakes his head, "I'm fine."

"Mind explaining what's going on here?" Blu asks.

Kestrel simply nods and looks at Eduardo, "You sent a hired mercenary to chase me away."

Eduardo sighs, "I didn't trust you. Now I realize I've underestimated your intelligence, and your loyalty to Blu. I-"

Roberto butts in front of Eduardo, cutting him off and getting in Kestrel's face. "Beat me in a fight and you can stay." He says, itching to start a fight and show off to the girls.

"Hmph." Kestrel is not so easily phased by Roberto's attempts to intimidate him. "And if you win?"

Roberto smirks, "Then you leave here and never return."

Blu shakes his head and tries to get in between the two, "Guys please, you don't need to do this. There are better ways to solve this problem!"

Kestrel gently pushes Blu out of the way and nods at Roberto, "To the death?"

Roberto shakes his head, "To submission."

Kestrel smirks, "Why? You afraid?"

Roberto laughs, "I don't want to have to kill you to win."

Kestrel ignores Roberto's outstanding arrogance and nods, "You're on."

Roberto smiles smugly and doesn't hesitate to lunge at Kestrel, striking forth with nothing but talons. He lands one solid strike across Kestrel's face, making a horrible metallic screeching sound as his talons make contact with Kestrel's beak. The sheer force of the attack is enough to stagger Kestrel for a few seconds and spark a burning rage in his soul. He quickly regains his balance and reverses Roberto's next attack, slamming the macaw on his back. Roberto gets up and tries to land at least one hit on Kestrel, but to no avail.

For the first time ever, Blu sees the bird of prey Kestrel really is. He looks into Kestrel's eyes and sees nothing but a primal instinct to kill, fueled by rage that has built up over his entire life. All the anger that Kestrel has ever held back; all the emotions he didn't show, it is all coming out now. And Roberto is getting the business end of it.

Roberto manages to put up a good offense, blocking Kestrel's relentless attacks to the best of his ability. He notices several girls in the surrounding crowd looking at him with intrigued eyes. This is his chance to show what he can do; he lets his arrogance get the best of him and starts showing off, throwing unnecessary flips and spins into the fight to impress the onlooking females. After a few minutes, Kestrel starts to tire and Roberto finally lands some solid attacks. Without warning, Roberto loses his footing due to his fancy combat style and his attacks are interrupted. Kestrel sees his window and lunges for the vulnerable macaw. He holds Roberto by the neck and repeatedly bashes his beak against Roberto's, leaving it cracked, broken, and bloodied.

"Mercy! I submit! You win!" Roberto says through his destroyed beak. Kestrel ignores him and slams him into the ground, producing a resounding crack as a bone in his wing is shattered.

Blu's eyes widen, _"Kestrel won't stop until Roberto is dead unless I do something."_

Blu jumps in front of Kestrel right as he's about to deliver the killing blow. Kestrel's talons rake across Blu's chest; the brute force behind the attack knocks Blu unconscious.

Kestrel immediately snaps out of his rage driven bloodthirst and rushes to Blu's aid. "Blu!"

. . . .

Blu wakes up several hours later in a large hollowed out space inside a tree. As he looks around, the walls are decorated with various herbs and fruits.

 _"This is obviously some sort of medical ward."_ Blu says to himself.

"Good morning sleepyhead, you're finally awake." He's greeted by a very friendly female voice. He looks around to see where it came from and there he lays eyes on one of the most beautiful macaws he's ever seen. Her feathers are a deep shade of blue, much darker than his own. Her eyes are a shining golden color. Her beak has an elegant curve to it, which accents the almost sultry curves of her sleek body.

Blu is speechless, "Uh, I-I um.."

She giggles, "My name is Sapphire. You can call me Saf. I'm the tribe's medical officer, and you have been out for quite a while."

"How long?" Blu asks.

"About three and a half hours." Sapphire replies

Blu nods, "How's Roberto? Is he okay?"

Sapphire shrugs, "Okay is a strong word. Maybe stable is more appropriate."

"How bad is it?"

"Well, he has a major concussion, a broken wing, some cracked ribs, and not to mention his beak isn't in too good of condition."

"And how's Kestrel?"

"He's fine. Eduardo wanted him to leave after he nearly killed Roberto, but Roberto generously let him stay since he did beat him in fair combat and that was part of their deal. Eduardo put Kestrel on first patrol tonight as a test."

Blu nods, "Anything else I should know?"

"Yeah. I'm going to have to keep you here for the next few hours to make sure you're stable before I can let you go."

"Thank you."

Sapphire smiles and shrugs, "Part of my job."

. . . .

A/N

I'm sorry this took so long. This chapter was going to be twice as long, with the submitted OC's being in the second part; but I cut it down because it was past deadline. OC's will be in the next chapter, which by the way, will be a very exciting and important part of the story!


	10. Chapter 10 -- Together

Happy holidays and a happy new year, everyone! Your gift from me: a double length chapter, and in half the time! The song used in this chapter is _Love Train_ by _Street Corner Renaissance._ It should be fairly easy to find on Youtube. Also, I'm sorry the lyrics are off; the lyrics for the version I used aren't on the internet, so I had to copy n' paste the original lyrics and edit them myself, which is a thing I'm not the best at.

. . . .

 _ **.: 7 Days Later:.**_

Kestrel and Blu glide through the tribe, the day is nearly done; the sun has just begun to set. Every goes about their evening business like normal as if Carnival isn't right around the corner.

"Doesn't this tribe celebrate Carnival?" Kestrel asks.

Blu shakes his head, "I don't think so. Especially with this feud with the Scarlet tribe going on, I don't think they have time for celebrations."

They land in a central gathering plaza, where bustling birds socialize, talking about their day, their life, normal things like that; though most were still talking about the fight that had happened the week before. Kestrel shakes his head, "I still don't see why they wouldn't have time for a single day of celebration."

"Aren't you on patrol tonight?" Blu asks.

Kestrel nods and looks at the sun as it falls lower and lower in the sky. "Yes. And my shift starts..." A few seconds later, the sun finally dips down below the horizon and out of view. "Right now. I'll talk to you tomorrow." He says before taking off and flying to his designated patrol route.

Blu nods, "Bye!" he says forlornly. He sighs and takes off, only to have another bird crash into him. They both tumble to the floor, then get back to their feet, disoriented but unharmed. Blu turns to look at the other bird to find that its Sapphire. "I'm so sorry, that was my fault; I should have been watching where I was going!"

Sapphire looks surprised, "Wow.."

"What?"

"You actually apologized. Most of the guys around here just assume it wasn't their fault and continue on their way without saying anything at all. Modesty is a hard trait to come by these days."

Blu shrugs, "Well I'm not from around here-"

Sapphire smiles and nods, "I figured. Where are you from then?"

"Minnesota.. You know where that is right?"

Sapphire's face lights up with amazement, "You're from Minnesota?! I'm from Wisconsin!" She says with joy, "And here I thought I was the only American in this tribe. You ever been to Wisconsin?"

Blu nods, "Once. It was the coldest winter I've ever experienced. The temperature was down to thirty below at one point!"

"I remember that year. All the kids got the whole week off school because it was so cold."

Blu smiles for the first time in a long time. "Ya know, until I moved here, I never thought I would miss the cold."

They both share a laugh and agree on Blu's last statement before Sapphire remembers something. "Oh, I have patients to tend to; but I'm free tomorrow night if you'd like to talk then. I have a feeling we have more in common than we realize."

Blu nods, "I'd like that."

. . . .

It's a black, gloomy night that night. Clouds roll in and obscure the moon, making the sky around it glow and eerie gray color. Kestrel soars high above the ground, keeping an eye out for any sort of discord among the tribe. He's never done an all-night patrol before; flying the same route all night with no landmarks for reference can get a bit difficult. He's also getting very tired, flapping his wings as little as possible and relying exclusively on the Amazon's rising heat thermals to keep him aloft. There are even moments where he nearly falls asleep in the air.

Out of nowhere, he feels a sudden sense of extreme alertness, as if something is wrong. He starts to circle in the air, looking for signs of distress.

" _This could easily be nothing."_ He says to himself. " _Sapphire said that spending too much time in the air could make even the strongest willed birds start seeing things that aren't there, or hearing voices that don't exist."_

But this isn't something that he's seeing, or hearing. It's a feeling somewhere in his mind that let's him know something isn't right. He's so focused on figuring out what this feeling could possibly be, that he almost doesn't notice the bird gliding silently from tree to tree, apparently trying to sneak across the border in the dead of night.

Kestrel tucks his wings and nosedives to investigate. He flares his wings, and lands hard on a branch directly in front of the bird, whom appears to be a macaw. The colors are hard to make out in the dark, but the macaw seems to have a white beak, crimson red feathers, and blue and yellow stripes on his wings. Kestrel had never seen a bird like this but he knows from Eduardo's descriptions and stories that this is a Scarlet macaw. Kestrel doesn't hesitate to pin the bird to the trunk of the tree, his powerful wings holding the stranger in place.

"Why were you trying to cross the border?" Kestrel demands.

"Uh, I.. I'm-" He stutters.

The next moment, Kestrel is pinned down by a very familiar golden hawk. Her metal mask glints in the shallow moonlight.

"Phoenix?" Kestrel says in shock, "What are you doing? I had him first."

Phoenix nods, "I might ask you the same question. What are you doing so close to Scarlet territory?"

Kestrel gestures to the macaw, "He was crossing into Spix's territory. I'm just trying to do my job."

Phoenix looks to the terrified and confused bird, "Are you okay, Alex?"

He nods, still shaking, "I-I'm fine."

"Wait, wait, wait… You know him?" Kestrel says.

Phoenix nods. "I'm covering all patrol routes for the Scarlets. All day every day. When you do that, you start to learn everyone's name… And you're working for the Spix's I assume. I thought they wanted you gone." Phoenix hesitates before remembering Blu, "Ah, yes… you're friends with that outsider. What's his name? I forget."

Kestrel's muscles tense up as the situation escalates, "Blu."

Alex jumps at the name, "You're friends with Blu?"

Kestrel nods, "What's it to you?"

He still shakes from the trauma of Kestrel's attack, but trusts Phoenix to protect him should Kestrel try anything. "He's… like a brother to me. He's one of my only friends; especially during this stupid war. I came to talk to him, but I have to cross at night since that's when security is at it's least." Alex explains quietly, trying not to make eye contact with Kestrel.

Phoenix finally lets Kestrel up and stands between him and Alex. "It seems this damnable conflict is driving both tribes paranoid. What are we even fighting about anyway?"

Alex shrugs and says in his usual quiet tone, "It used to be about food, but now I'm not so sure."

Phoenix dismisses Alex, "You go. Lisa was looking for you when I last spoke to her." The hawk says in a motherly voice, "She's probably worried sick. You should go check up on her."

"And where's Liz?" He asks.

Phoenix chuckles lightly, "Late nights like this, popular girl like her? Probably out with her friends."

Alex nods, "As usual." He lifts from the branch and starts on his way back to the roost he shares with his sisters. "Thank you, Phoenix!" Alex calls back.

Phoenix gives a coo of acknowledgement and turns her attention back to Kestrel. Kestrel gives Phoenix a smug look and shakes his head, "You didn't need to be so defensive over him. Any friend of Blu's is a friend of mine."

Phoenix gives Kestrel a light smirk as she removes her mask and sets it down. Her silver eyes gleam in the moonlight, complementing the shimmer of Kestrel's beak. She slowly starts to circle him, examining the falcon from head to tail. "You and I… We want the same thing."

Kestrel looks Phoenix in the eye, dead serious, "No we don't. All I want is for my best friend to be happy again."

"That's not all you want." Phoenix assures him.

He quickly changes the subject, "Lemme get this straight. The Scarlet tribe put a _blind_ bird on patrol?"

Phoenix persists with her statement, "That's not all you want." She says again.

Kestrel hesitates for a long time before sighing and nodding, "I want to be left alone."

"And to be left alone, what has to happen?" Phoenix asks expectantly.

"This conflict needs to end."

Phoenix smiles and nods, "There needs to be an arbitrator, or that's never going to happen." She takes a step closer to Kestrel looking him straight in the face, a look of longing in her eyes. "Let it be us. We can end this. Together."

Kestrel huffs and gently pushes her away, "If there's one thing I've learned in nineteen years, it's that 'together' doesn't exist. For the past seven years, I've gone out of my way to protect Blu from that reality, because he's the closest thing to family that I've ever had.

Phoenix takes a step back, tears starting to form in her eyes. "You're a lot more messed up than I thought."

"You don't know the half of it."

She shakes her head, "I'm sure I don't, but that doesn't change what I think of you."

"What does that mean?"

"It means I still want to be with you."

Kestrel laughs, "Why?"

Phoenix lowers her head and says with a quiet tone, "You're the only one who's ever understood me for who I am."

Kestrel nods slowly, "I see now."

Phoenix smiles, "So… what do you say? You and me?"

He hesitates for a long while before nodding, "Let's end it."

. . . .

The following evening, Blu meets Sapphire right as the sun starts to set.

"Hi!" She says, "So where are we going?"

Blu gives her a slight smile, "I know _just_ the place."

He leads her to a secluded perch atop the tallest tree in sight. It provides an amazing view of the entire sky. Sapphire turns all around, taking in her surroundings with utter amazement. "This… This is beautiful, Blu."

Blu shrugs and subtly nods his head, "This is where Jewel and I would come once in a while to enjoy the incredible Amazonian sunsets." He says quietly.

Nico and Pedro sit on a branch next to each other, talk about what they're going to do for Carnival. "We can't just do nothing, man." Nico says, "I mean, I get that they don't have time for celebration and all that, but that doesn't mean _we_ don't. Besides, Carnival has been our thing for years. I just can't believe they don't care about it here. We should-" He's interrupted as Kestrel lands silently beside them, startling Nico. "Don't do that to me! I almost had a heart attack just now, man."

Kestrel takes a step back, "Sorry."

Pedro gets up in Kestrel's face, trying to be intimidating. "What do you want? Huh?!"

Nico puts a wing on Pedro's shoulder and pulls him away from Kestrel, "Tone it down there, Pedro."

Pedro nods, "Yeah, yeah. Lost my cool there for a sec."

Kestrel points a feather up at the perch where Blu and Sapphire sit, talking together while they watch the sunset, "Look." Kestrel says. "He's talking to a girl."

Nico looks at Kestrel unamused, "And?"

Kestrel smirks and gives Nico a nudge, "Ya know… We gotta set the mood.."

Nico nods, "Ohhh, I gotchu. Got anything in mind?"

Kestrel nods, "Follow my lead."

They land in the same tree Blu is in, on a lower branch out of sight. They wait for Sapphire to say the words Kestrel knows are coming. "Wow.. This is so beautiful."

Kestrel takes that as a queue and flies up, landing next to Blu, where he starts humming a bassline for Nico. Nico instantly recognizes it and smiles, "Classic." He flies up and lands gracefully on the very end of the branch Blu and Sapphire are sitting on.

 _Well, well, well... You know that it's time to get on board._

After Nico says his first line, Pedro starts singing a harmony over Kestrel's bassline, giving the tune a very smooth and mellow feel.

 _Now, we're gonna go all across this land. From the East, to the North… The South and the West._

 _The East most definitely._

 _And we're come to you, and you too!_

As he speaks the last line, he points to Blu, and then to Sapphire.

Sapphire looks at Blu, confused. "Did you plan this?"

Blu shrugs and shakes his head, looking just as confused. "Nope."

Nico smiles and starts to sing.

 _People all over the world (everybody)_

 _Join hands (join)_

 _Start a love train, love train_

 _People all over the world (all the world, now)_

 _Join hands (love ride)_

 _Start a love train (love ride), love train_

 _The first stop that we make will be Memphis_

 _Tell all the folks in shy town, and San Antonio, too_

 _Don't you know that it's time to get on board_

 _And let this train keep on riding, riding on through_

Sapphire smiles at Blu, "Are you sure this wasn't staged?"

Blu nods awkwardly, "Uh.. Yeah. Yeah I'm pretty sure."

 _People all over the world (you don't need no money)_

 _Join hands (come on)_

 _Start a love train, love train (don't need no ticket, come on)_

 _People all over the world (Join in, ride this train)_

 _Join in (Ride this train, y'all)_

 _Start a love train (Come on, train), love train_

 _All of you brothers over in Jersey_

 _Tell all the folks in New Orleans, and Harlem, too_

 _Please don't miss this train at the station_

 _'Cause if you miss it, I feel sorry, sorry for you_

 _You, Oh!_

 _People all over the world (Sisters and brothers)_

 _Join hands (join, come on)_

 _Start a love train (ride this train, y'all), love train (Come on)_

 _People all over the world (Don't need no tickets)_

 _Join hands (come on, ride)_

 _Start a love train, love train_

 _Ride, let it ride_

 _Let it ride_

 _Let it ride_

 _Let it ride_

 _People, ain't no war_

 _People all over the world (on this train)_

 _Join in (ride the train)_

 _Start a love train, love train (ride the train, y'all)_

 _People all over the world (come on)_

 _Join hands (you can ride or stand, yeah)_

 _Start a love train, love train (makin' love)_

 _People all over the world ('round the world, y'all)_

 _Join hands (come on)_

 _Start a love train, love train_

 _The next stop that we make, will be Rio_

 _Tell all the folks in Sao Paulo, and Brasilia, too_

 _Don't you miss this train,_

 _At the station, but let this train…_

 _Keep on ridin'_

 _Ridin' on through…_

 _Yeah! Don't you miss this train!_

 _People all over the world (you don't need no money)_

 _Join hands (come on)_

 _Start a love train, love train (don't need no ticket, come on)_

 _People all over the world (Join in, ride this train)_

 _Join in (Ride this train, y'all)_

 _Start a love train (Come on, train), love train_

 _Let it ride_

 _Let it ride_

 _Let it ride_

 _People all over the world._

As the song ends, Nico looks over to the two macaws just in time to see Sapphire suddenly push her beak into Blu's in a deep kiss that lasts several seconds.

Kestrel lands beside Nico, who just gives a smug smile and says, "Our work here is done." before flying away.

. . . .

Sapphire pulls away with a regretful expression on her face. "I- I'm sorry. That was.. Inappropriate."

Blu shakes his head, "No, you're fine. Really! It's actually kinda nice to know that even without Jewel, there's still someone who feels that way about me." He says. Sapphire smiles gently and kisses Blu once more as the sun disappears below the horizon.

. . . .

A/N

I know the lyrics are way off, and I tried to make up for it by putting some non-american cities in there, but it's still really confusing to read. I hope what you take from this song is less lyrics and more mood, that way you don't need to look at my horrible attempt at lyric writing. Also, it's fun to be able to reference my homestate (Wisconsin) in my stories, which I knew I had to do at one point since it's right next to Minnesota.

. . . .

And I hope you enjoyed Alexriolover95's appearance in the story. I know he was only there for a brief time, but when you think about it, Alex is the reason Phoenix and Kestrel are banding together to end the war! (Also, apologies to Alex if I got anything wrong about your OC, I didn't mean to; I was just trying to get this monster of a chapter done.)

If you'd like your OC in this story, I'm still accepting them; so please, PM me a description, I'd love to do this again.


	11. Chapter 11 -- It's Delovely

I finally found the time in my busy life to finish the story. I'm sorry I had to make you wait this long, but hey; with this out of the way, I can move on to more exciting stories! The song used in this chapter is " _It's De-lovely_ " from the musical, _Anything Goes_.

. . . .

 **.:One Year Later:.**

. . . .

"Wake up! Get up! C'mon uncle Kestrel, it's time for Carnival!" An excited young bird jumps up and down on Kestrel's chest.

Kestrel groans, "It's too early for this, Tiago."

The young macaw is deep navy blue like his mother, with his father's golden eyes. His voice is high and squeaky, full of anticipation and excitement. His name is Tiago; that was the name Blu and Jewel had picked out for when they had a son. Blu figured it was only appropriate to honor that decision. Tiago darts over to Blu and Sapphire, who are sleeping heavily on top of one another. "C'mon Dad, get up! Mom! Let's go, it's Carnival!"

"It's also four in the morning." Sapphire groans with apathy.

Tiago continues to jump up and down excitedly, "I know! Which means the celebration is gonna start in a few hours!"

Kestrel sighs and gets up, stretching his wings wide with a yawn. He spreads his wings and puffs out his chest as his back cracks audibly. He perches at the edge of the roost, his beak glinting in the early morning light. He is joined by Blu, and then the excited young Tiago.

"Let's go, let's go!" The young bird goes on and on until Kestrel looks at him incredulously, "Pfft, you're not going." He says.

"What?!" Tiago squeaks, "Why not?!"

Blu chuckles, "Your mother and I need a break. Just a night to ourselves."

Kestrel nods, "Believe it or not, you can be very tiring."

Blu nods solemnly, "That's why you'll be staying here with Kes."

"Wait, what?!" Kestrel screeches, "I didn't agree to that!"

Blu smiles and nods, "Yeah, you didn't need to."

Kestrel sighs and accepts his fate. "Fine."

. . . .

That night, the celebration is well on its way. Everyone is gathered in a central plaza. Scarlet and Spix's alike, thanks to Kestrel and Phoenix. Everyone dances happily while Nico and Pedro sing.

 _What good is love,_

 _(This is a crazy love!)_

 _If it's not your love.._

Blu and Sapphire arrive just as the song ends. There is a long and awkward pause before Blu quietly starts to sing,

 _The night is young…_

 _The skies are clear,_

 _and if you want to go walking dear…_

The music finally starts and Sapphire smiles and starts doing a cute little dance while he sings,

 _It's delightful, it's delicious,_

 _It's delovely…_

 _I understand the reason why you're sentimental_

 _'cuz so am I, you can hear dear Mother Nature_

 _murmuring low,_

 _Let yourself go!_

She takes Blu's wings in her own and starts doing a subtly waltz-like dance while he continues,

 _So, please be sweet, my chickadee._

 _And when I kiss you just say to me,_

 _It's delightful, It's delicious,_

 _it's delectable, it's delirious,_

 _it's dilemma, it's delimit,_

 _it's deluxe, It's delovely!_

Blu looks Sapphire in the eyes as if to say, "Your turn." She smiles and clears her throat.

 _I feel a sudden urge to sing. The kind of diddy that invokes the spring._

 _So control your desire to curse, while I crucify the verse._

 _This verse I've started seems to me, the tinpantithesis of melody._

 _But I'll spare you all the pain. I'll skip the damn thing_

 _and sing the refrain!_

 _Mi mi mi mi_

 _Re re re re,_

 _Do sol mi do la si…_

There's an awkward pause, before she continues, still dancing in circles with Blu.

 _The night is young, the skies are clear,_

 _and if you want to go walking dear,_

 _It's delightful, it's delicious,_

 _it's delovely. You can tell at a glance, what a swell_

 _night this is for romance, you can hear dear mother nature_

 _murmuring low, Let yourself go!_

Blu joins in unison with Sapphire, and they finish the song together.

 _So please be sweet, my chickadee._

 _And when I kiss you just say to me…_

 _It's delightful, it's delicious, It's…_

Sapphire takes Blu by surprise right in the middle of the song and presses her beak against his in a deep kiss. They keep dancing slowly until she pulls away.

 _It's De-lovely…_

Blu looks into Sapphire's deep blue eyes and says words he hasn't said since Jewel died.

"I love you."

. . . .

After the celebration, Blu returns to the roost to find Kestrel telling another one of his stories to a very drowsy Tiago.

"And that, my boy, is how your father met Jewel." He finishes, just as Blu and Sapphire arrive. Kestrel turns and looks at them, "Ah perfect timing, we were just heading to bed."

Blu nods, awkwardly. "Thank you for doing this, Kes."

Kestrel shrugs. "Anything for you."

Blu smiles and says, "I know."

The End

. . . .

A/N

I hope that didn't end too abruptly. I was trying to finish this at 3:AM and at that point I was just trying to get it done. This is one of my sadder stories, so to lighten the mood, who's up for a Zootopia adventure?

. . . .


End file.
